Bowie
Match Information
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: J Matthews (Greenock)
Matchday: Thursday
Match Trivia
While I would not say that Partick Thistle were a better team than the Rangers at Firhill yesterday, they thoroughly deserved their single goal victory. I hasten to congratulate their genial president Mr Tom Reid, on their success. As a combined force Partick may not have been top-hole, but for sheer grit they left nothing to be desired. And this grit more than anything else beat the League champions and leaders. True, Partick were served splendidly by their entire rear, and more particularly by Stewart, Bulloch and Borthwick, but the others all played their part nobly. That part was in a spoiling connection mostly, but on occasion the Thistle took quite a good grip of the game, and at times Hempsey and Manderson and Blair were ‘put through it.’ This Firhill pressure was most pronounced in the latter stages of the first half, during which they were unquestionably top-dog, and their goal, scored eleven minutes before lemon time, was warranted on the play that immediately preceded it. It came about this way, Henderson, who was again on the right wing, gave his partner a peach of a pass and Whittle, who before this had put across some lovely centres, repeated himself. Bowie was on the spot and taking his ‘ain braw time,’ whipped the ball past the helpless Hempsey. It was pretty goal. Following this the Ibrox citadel was stormed, and Airman McIntyre had vile luck with a couple of shots, both of which were blocked. In the second half we saw a Rangers team more like themselves; yet the never-say-die Queen’s Cross crowd never allowed them to settle as they did, say at Clydebank, in the opening twenty-five minutes at Motherwell, or even in the last quarter of an hour in Wednesday’s Titanic battle with the Celtic. Still, had the ‘Light Blues’ enjoyed an average modicum of luck they would have drawn level, for between them Gordon and Bowie initiated wily strategic movements sufficient to have at least saved their bacon. But the others did not respond as they might, and as I have told you already, the lot were up against a clever and resolute defence that took every risk. While grant you that Hempsey, even in this half, was well tested, he never was so sorely tried as Stewart, who was simply unbeatable. On the strength of what I have seen the big Perth keeper do at Brockville against Celtic and Rangers, I have on several occasions dubbed him the best goalkeeper in Scotland – on yesterday’s display he has no superior. Nothing was too difficult for Stewart. A ball did get into the net behind him from Archibald’s ‘corner’ but I think I am right in saying that the goalkeeper knew what I did not know at the moment – that the kick had been taken prematurely. And Stewart had his little bit of luck – what goalkeeper hasn’t. From out of a regular Rugby ‘scrum’ I could imagine the ball go nowhere but into the net, but somehow or other it got past the post. The fates were surely against the Ibrox round about this period. They were value a goal. I enjoy a match at Firhill better than at most ground. In this compact little enclosure you seem to get in touch with the players – the spectators become part and parcel of the game, which he enjoys all the better for it. And the Firhill faithful did enjoy the exhilarating tussle. I know he hasn’t yet done singing the praises of Stewart, Bulloch and Borthwick – the trio were immense. This Borthwick boy has improved beyond recognition almost. In front of them Willie Hamilton was never seen to more advantage, while McMullan was on better terms with his forwards than usual, and his general play was improved thereby. Joe Harris tired a bit in the first half, but getting his second wind finished as strongly as the others. Joe did very well, indeed. Forward, I was impressed most by Bowie and Whittle. The centre was extremely lively, and the outside right – winger’s centre were things of beauty – and danger. Keep on getting them across, Willie. McIntyre made a useful support for Salisburgh, who was not quite at his best. No fault could be found with the Rangers rear trio. Blair was first-rate, and speedy Manderson improved much on his two most recent performances. If Gordon did not touch his true form until the second half, Walls and Dixon were grafters throughout. While sharing with Cairns the honours of the attack, Bowie was less in the picture than usual; McLean well watched by Willie Hamilton, did little noteworthy; and Archibald did not approach his second half game in the Celtic match. Brown wrought had – no one was braver, Dave also got across a number of good balls; but he is not a touch-line artiste. The Dundonian does not gather the ball or get away with it quickly enough for my taste
